Josh Minott impresses the Timberwolves with his recent play in camp – Twin Cities

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch was asked who impressed him with their work at the team's practice facility in the weeks leading up to the start of training camp. He listed both rookies – Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. Their progression is natural as they adapt to the speed and physicality of the pro game.

Then he brought a grand piano on his way to 3rd grade.

“Josh Minott had an incredible summer,” Finch said. “He’s probably been one of our best players in the last six weeks here in the gym watching us play.”

Minott has been a source of fascination for Wolves fans since his second-round pick in 2022. Back in his first year in Memphis, Minott was an athletic, wiry specimen with little playing time and the unknown with endless potential.

He has barely seen the NBA floor in the last two years – a result that is largely due to Minnesota's strong squad. But there never seemed to be any reason to force him to act. Minott's jump shot was inconsistent at best. And he wasn't advanced enough defensively to be able to count on any kind of legitimate minutes.

This summer, Minott said he started becoming a smarter player. He simplified the thoughts on the floor to himself. He understood what worked for him and what didn't. Reads became easier to perform.

And this sweater in particular has grown by leaps and bounds. After Tuesday's practice, Minott not only drilled every 3-point attempt, but the ball barely touched the string. The 21-year-old said this was the most confidence he had ever felt in his shot.

“I feel like every time the ball leaves my hands outside the arc, it goes in,” he said.

He noted that this leap of faith came from his mentality. Minott suffered from fear of failure during the first two years of his career. The thought “What if I miss something?” crept into his mind as he stood up for a shot. Avoiding mistakes was the top priority in his game.

“When I came into the league, I was afraid of messing up, afraid of making mistakes,” Minott said. “I wanted to be the perfect player. I wanted to impress the coach and all these other things.”

The contract Minott signed after he was drafted did not include a guaranteed third year. That also weighed heavily on him last season. You can't compete like that.

“Not only was it not mentally healthy, it didn’t help me deal with that kind of stress,” Minott said.

That was a realization made at the end of last season. At this point his personal transformation began. Minott relaxed—not in terms of work habits. He sticks to his private life. But mentally he doesn't live in fear of coming up short. He fights for victory without worrying about numbers. Approximately 5,000 players have ever played in the NBA. Now he enjoys the fact that he is one of them.

“Just stop stressing me out so much, and not only is it healthier for my psyche,” he said, “but I'll actually get better at basketball because I don't worry about stress as much.”

Because you have to fail in order to learn and grow. He has done plenty of both in recent months, which has reignited curiosity about his potential. Does this mean game time is coming this season? Honestly, probably not unless an injury occurs. Minnesota is suddenly stacked at the wing position. Minutes are currently scarce.

But that's none of Minott's business.

“This is an external situation. I have no control over that,” he said. “The decision lies with the management and the coaching staff. All I can control is myself, what I do, and I’m just going to go out there and try to be the best player I can be every day.”

Things would probably be different if Minott played for a bad team. He doesn't see the word because he is nominated by a championship contender. He understands that too.

“I've seen it with players all over the league, especially in my draft class, going to the other end of the winning spectrum and seeing how that works,” Minott said. “Honestly, I’m happy where my feet are. Everyone in this room knows that opportunities are a little scarce here, just because of the culture that we have and so on. I just took the job, took the G-League, done my time, so to speak.

“Overall it was just a learning experience that I probably wouldn't find with the other team that didn't have as many wins. Yes, I might “hoop” and go out and play, but I don’t really know the value of what I would learn. We just did something really special last year, went to the conference finals, and I got to be a part of that winning culture and see what it takes. I think that’s more valuable than going 20-62.”